News of: Wednesday, 1st of February, 2012

Front Page

The Indian government should prosecute members of its security forces for the recent high-profile cases of torture, to send a message that such practices will no longer be tolerated, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said yesterday.

The government has made mandatory attestation of all job documents by the Bangladesh missions with effect from today instead of holding recruiting agencies responsible for ensuring transparency in labour recruitment process.

Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations begin today with a total of 14,20,057 examinees from 26,855 educational institutions across the country sitting for the exams under 10 education boards.

Opposition leaders believe that they gained leverage over the government in the last few days largely due to the government's “wrong decisions” centering on their mass procession programmes in the country.

Jamaat-e-Islami activist Shafiqul Islam, shot to death during Monday's clashes in Rajshahi, was buried at Hatim Khan graveyard under police protection yesterday, foiling an alleged attempt by the party to bring out a procession with his body.

The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday accepted charges against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman regarding his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. The ICT fixed February 29 for hearings on charge framing.

February is and will forever be a reminder of the sacrifices made in defence of the Bangla language in 1952. What has come to be known as Ekushey was, however, already in the making even before the establishment of Pakistan in August 1947. In July 1947, barely a month before India was partitioned by the British colonial administration into two independent states, several leading Muslim scholars rather inexplicably suggested that Urdu be the lingua franca of the new state. That view was, however, opposed by reputed Bangalee scholars, whose view was that since the Bangalees of Pakistan's eastern wing would constitute the majority segment of the country's population, it was only proper that Bangla be adopted as the language of the state. For his part, Dr Muhammad Shahidullah, writing in the daily Azad published from Calcutta, stated that having Urdu as the only language of the state and pushing Bangla into the sidelines would only undermine the interests of the Bangalees of Pakistan.

India's External Affairs Minister SM Krishna may come to Dhaka on February 15 to assure Bangladesh that his country is committed to fulfilling all bilateral agreements and decisions made since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India.

Editorial

We are upbeat about the decision to open a liquidity-swap window for extending financial support to the Saarc member countries. The move made at the fifth Saarc Finance Ministers' Meeting in Dhaka is intended to enhance coordination in fiscal and monetary policies of the member countries and facilitate business and other transactions. We find this move very appropriate in light of the deepening global economic recession. It is a potential stepping stone towards offsetting the impacts of any global crisis. Now we want to see swift implementation of the project after having worked out its size, structure, resources and operational modalities.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina informed the AL parliamentary party meeting on Sunday that she has collected 300 reports from as many parliamentary constituencies on the activities of MPs representing them.

Sports

The second edition of the Bangabandhu Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament was completed successfully yesterday with Charbaria Govt Primary School of Barisal emerging champions after a 3-2 win over Rangamati Govt Primary School of Dinajpur at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

On Tuesday Bangabandhu National Stadium was abuzz with the future of Bangladesh's football. Fifth grader Imran Hossain adores Lionel Messi. He did not have the chance to meet Messi on his rare trip to Bangladesh. But Imran got to play on the same ground as his hero. And he led his team, Charbaria Govt. Primary School, to glory in the final of the 2nd Bangabandhu Gold Cup.

Reigning champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club kick off the 2012 Bangladesh Premier League (formerly Bangladesh League) when they take on the up and coming power Team BJMC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today. The opening match of the league will be a repeat of the final of the season's curtain raiser Federation Cup where the Dhanmondi Club prevailed over an impressive Team BJMC after an enthralling battle. And if the competitive display in the Federation Cup is anything to go by, the premier league promises an entertaining season with no firm favourites for the coveted title.

Out-of-form batsman Ian Bell Tuesday vowed England will look for improvement in the third and final Test after their abject surrender in the first two matches, saying defeats provide great time to learn.

Marseille midfielder Lucho Gonzalez is on the brink of a return to former club Porto after the two clubs reached agreement on principle for the sale of the unsettled Argentine to the defending Portuguese champions, the French club announced on Monday.

The central bank yesterday issued a circular to clarify that non-bank financial institutions' investment in their subsidiary would not be considered while measuring their exposure to the capital market.

Realtors yesterday urged the government to provide home loans at a single-digit interest rate as the sector has recently witnessed a drastic slump in sales due to an abnormal rise in the prices of construction materials.

A two-day international workshop on conformity assessment begins today in Dhaka with a view to enhancing cooperation between developing countries about the growing need for maintaining standardisation and conformance, organisers said.

Metropolitan

The government will extend age limit of persons with disabilities by two years and visually impaired people by 10 years to facilitate them for applying for government jobs, Social Welfare Minister Enamul Hoque Mostofa Shaheed said yesterday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cannot avoid responsibilities for the death of five people, who were killed in police firing centring the opposition's mass procession programme, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of BNP, said yesterday.

The agitating Jahangirnagar University teachers opposing the vice-chancellor yesterday announced a five-day protest programme including class boycott, hunger strikes, rallies, and human chain, as the university administration refused to meet their demands.

A Dhaka court has acquitted former chairman of Public Service Commission (PSC) Prof Dr Mohammad Mustafa Chowdhury along with a member and two officials of charges of recommending illegally four people for jobs in different cadres of the civil service.

Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Regional council chairman Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, popularly known as Santu Larma, cancelled his scheduled programme in Rajshahi yesterday as the district and police administrations did not provide him protocol of a state minister.

The parliamentary standing committee on the defence ministry will discuss the recent foiled "attempt to overthrow the present democratic government" by a band of religious fanatics, comprising mid-ranking army officers and their retired colleagues.

Post and Telecommunication Minister Raji Uddin Ahmed yesterday urged people to use mobile phone of 'Teletalk Bangladesh Ltd', a public limited company, leaving other mobile phone operators in the country.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday arrested 32 youths from Keraniganj and Sayedabad in the city on charges of video piracy and seized 44 computers and 3,500 pirated and porn CDs from their possession.

Today is the 45th martyrdom day of Mahananda Sarkar, who was killed by the then Pakistani police forces at a demonstration during the mass upsurge in 1969 on the bank of the river Madhumati, the border of Madaripur and Gopalganj.

Maulana Mohammad Abdullah, former principal of Padipara Islamia Senior Fajil (Degree) Madrasa at Sonaimuri upazila in Noakhali, died following a cardiac arrest at his residence on Monday night at the age of 61.

Academic activities of over 41,000 students of Government Azizul Haque College in Bogra are hampered as the institution is beset with multifarious problems including shortage of classrooms, teachers and accommodation for long.

A teacher at Hatdoil Non-Government Registered Primary School in Bagatipara upazila sustained injuries as president of the school managing committee assaulted her on Monday afternoon. The victim, Mamota Parvin, is a headmistress of the school where she is working for eleven years. The injured was admitted to upazila health complex. The teacher said," Habibur Rahman, president of the committee, is trying to remove me illegally for long." As a sequel to the incident, Habibur asked her to sign a resignation letter following a managing committee meeting at around 2:30pm, she added. "As I refused to endorse the letter provided by Habibur, he along with his brother attacked me”. Habibur said he asked the teacher to sign in her resignation latter, but did not assault her.

Police recovered the beheaded body of a farmer from Bandartila in Hatiya upazila yesterday, two days after he went missing. The deceased was identified as Abul Hossain Khair, 42, son of Late Ruhul Amin of Nolchira village in the upazila. Moktar Hossain, officer in-charge of Hatiya police station, said some fishermen found body in the area at around 9:00am and informed the police. Victim's wife Laila Begum said on receiving a phone call Sunday morning, her husband went out of the house and did not return to home.

Three suspected fake examinees were arrested during a police recruitment written test for the post of constable on Monday. The arrestees are Yakub Ali, 25, son of Hossain Ali of Moheshmari village in Baliadangi upazila, Abul Hasnat, 26, son of Mozaharul Islam and Mesbaul, 18, son of Abul Hasnat of Bokuya village in Horipur upazila. Assistant Superintendent of Police AKM Shahin Ahmed said they arrested Yakub and Hasnat during the test in the afternoon following their suspicious attitude. As per their statements, police then arrested Mesbaul from a mess at Collegepara in Thakurgoan municipality area in the evening.

A domestic help was tortured by a young man at Semakhali village in Sadar upazila on Monday evening. The victim, Roksana Parvin, 20, has been working at the house of Badsha Sardar, former member of Auria unio parishad in the upazila for about three years. The victim said one Hossain Mollah at the village attempted to rape her while she was going to the mango orchard beside the house of her employer at about 5:30pm. As she resisted him, Hossain beat up her mercilessly, Roksana added. Badsha said hearing the screaming, they rescued the victim from the spot and admitted her to Narail Sadar Hospital.

Letters

While dealing with Iran one thing must be taken into consideration. It is that Iran's existence as an Islamic state is a miracle, given the repeated aggression and embargo imposed on it. Another miracle is that unlike Iraq Iran is not becoming an easy target of the imperialists. Enjoying relative political stability, Iranians are united under one Imam inspired and directly guided by Imam Mahdi who they believe is in occultation. Though these religious facts are beyond comprehension for western writers and thinkers, it is very much there. I cannot resist the temptation of quoting the famous line from Shakespeare: “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Veteran Indian social activist Anna Hazare termed his anti-corruption campaign as the second freedom struggle of India. Hazare's attire, made of white homespun cotton, reminds us of Mahatma Gandhi, who led the 'Quit India' movement against the British rule in 1942. Hazare also said that after ensuring the institution of a strong Lokpal (ombudsman) with its own independent investigative team, the next fight will be for the “Right to Reject” provision which will ensure that the corrupt MPs will not get entry into the “sacred temple of democracy”.

Harijans are neglected everywhere in the country. They are still considered as untouchables. Often in the newspapers we read horrible stories of their lives. I do not find any logic behind all these happenings.

At present the authorities are not giving any new gas connections to the newly constructed houses and apartments in Dhaka city. But fortunately, the owners are getting gas connections from the old lines which were installed at the plots in question before the construction started with the help of some dishonest staff of the gas company.

Emergence of lethal and highly virulent strains of Escherichia coli (E.coli) has become a serious threat to food safety and public health. Some strains of E.coli bacterium such as, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shiga-like toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), etc., produce Shiga-like toxin or verotoxin which is a major cause of food-borne illness. Each year thousands of people are affected by E.Coli bacterium by eating contaminated beef and other food products. Infection with these lethal bacteria cause severe diarrhoea, dehydration and kidney problems which often lead to death of children and elderly people or long term health problems.

I am concerned with the recent decision of BCCB to send our national cricket team to Pakistan. When the world cricketing nations have boycotted playing in Pakistan due to security reasons, I am astonished at the BCCB's decision. I presume it's more like a barter trade that Bangladesh will send its team to Pakistan and in return Pakistan will support Bangladesh candidate in the ICC presidential race. What I gather from my friends in BCCB is that this decision has been taken at the whim of its president who is aspiring to take over the ICC's highest job. Why are we making our innocent players a sacrificial lamb for the personal gain of the BCCB president?

The other day while I was riding down the main road from Ibrahimpur to Mirpur 14 on my motorbike in the evening, I noticed a very young boy, probably below 10 years of age, clinging behind a running rickshaw ahead of me. This type of scene is very common, so I didn't pay much attention to it. When I was about to cross that rickshaw, I noticed there was a woman on the rickshaw and the boy suddenly put something on the back of her head and swiftly opened the zipper of her handbag. It happened so fast that I was puzzled. And as soon as I realised that he was a pickpocket, I yelled to draw the lady's attention and tried to catch the kid. But I failed as he quickly ran away.

Television can be a source of knowledge and education for children if they are properly guided by their parents. The children should be allowed to watch particular TV programmes for a specific duration which can help them develop their imagination.

Your front page report published on January 18th on the Lokman killing at Narsingdi is very revealing about the power of our ministers, which, unfortunately, they use for the wrong reasons! Within two hours of the magistrate's order to send him to jail, pending trial, possibly a telephone call from the high-ups, had him released on bail!

Pakistan PM Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday said the option of an early general election "is open" but political elements wanting polls ahead of schedule would have to take up the issue with him after the budget session of parliament in May.

Florida's Republican voters go to the polls yesterday in a high-stakes presidential primary election, with former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney holding a commanding double-digit lead in polls over rival Newt Gingrich.

As the combined United States and European Union sanctions against Iran take effect, small nations like Sri Lanka are extremely worried. Sri Lanka depends almost entirely on Iran for its crude oil supplies and the only refinery in the country, Sapugaskanda, can only process Iranian crude.

More than a hundred countries now support a French proposal to create a "World Environment Organisation" at the upcoming 20th anniversary conference of the Rio Summit, France's ecology minister said yesterday.

Playing the quota card in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Congress yesterday promised reservation for socially and economically backward minorities and very backward dalits in proportion to their population.

A record voter turnout of 77% in Punjab and high 70% polling in Uttarakhand threw political parties into a tizzy as the current round of assembly polls reaches the half-way mark with a major four-cornered contest looming in UP besides a smaller, but no less hard fought showdown in Goa.

Andhra Pradesh Home Secretary B.P. Acharya was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation here on Monday for his role in the fast-snowballing scandal of irregularities in allotment of high-priced plots for villas in the township project of Dubai-based real estate developer Emaar.

It's that time of the year again. The aroma of freshly printed books in the air. When Bangla Academy, or pretty much Dhaka University campus, takes on a festive hue and becomes the literary and cultural hub in Dhaka. The event that epitomises celebration of Bangladeshi literature, litterateurs and readers -- Ekushey Boi Mela -- kicks off today.

To achieve major goals, 40 years is not enough for a theatre troupe, considers Mamunur Rashid, veteran actor-director and chief secretary of Aranyak Natyadal. On the occasion of his troupe's 40th anniversary today (February 1), Rashid said that their goal to instil professionalism in Bangladeshi theatre has not yet been realised, but the troupe is still working on other initiatives such as minimising class division in the society and creating opportunities for young theatre activists and troupes.

Shatabdi Wadud is an actor's exemplar. Using his experience of the theatre, he has enriched the world of cinema and television serials with his outstanding acting skills. His exceptional performance in “Guerilla” still lingers in the memory.

The weeklong National Street Theatre Festival begins today at the Central Shaheed Minar premises in Dhaka. Organised by Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF), the festival will feature nearly 50 plays staged by different troupes from all over the country.

Azizul Hakim is the celebrity of the month at DS Café. He will be on the hot seat and take your calls at The Daily Star office on TODAY between 3pm and 4pm. Readers, fire away all your questions at him! The best question will be highlighted in the transcription. Call- 8126155, 01711623915 and 01711623917.

OP-ED

These are interesting times we live in. Something of the pungent, something of the exciting has come into our politics. Of course, politics has always been exciting in this country, but of late the excitement has taken a dimension you do not and will not see replicated elsewhere around the world. A newly elected mayor -- and we speak of Comilla -- had his large vehicle block the path of a rickshaw the other day, the better for him to come out of it and land a few good punches on a lawyer riding that rickshaw. Of course, as is always the case, the mayor (and he has not yet been sworn in) denied that he had assaulted the lawyer. Why would such a good man do that?

The virtues of salt are infinite, both in diet and language. Salt was a symbol of the honour code in the institution that held together empires and colonies, the army. The metaphor for a soldier's loyalty was salt. If you were true to your salt, you remained loyal to whosoever's salt you had eaten. You were namakhalal. The opposite, namakharam, is still an accusation that stings, although contemporary values are determined by mercantile attitudes rather than ancient oaths. In today's job market, one is more loyal to the next salary than word given to the company you kept.

While observing the 63rd Republic Day of India on January 26th, the Acting High Commissioner for India, Mr. Sanjay Bhatacharyya, held a reception at a local hotel in Dhaka followed by an impressive cultural presentation.

Terrorism has become a global threat for humanity and has a pernicious impact on normal life. It has a serious effect on a range of fundamental human rights. Effective counter-terrorism measures and the protection of human rights are complementary and mutually reinforcing objectives which must be pursued together as part of a state's duty to protect the people within their jurisdiction. Efforts to address the human rights implications of terrorism and counter-terrorism measures have tended to focus on the protection of civil and political rights, along with economic, social and cultural rights.